Well-pipe perforator.



A. G. GRAHAM.

WELL PIPE PERFOEATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB.12, 191s.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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ALBERT o. GRAHAM, or OILIEIELDS, oemromrra.

WELL-PIPE PERFORATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. to, rare.

Application filed February 12, 1913. Serial No. 747,923.

vperforations therein; to provide a simplified construction of perforator; and to reuce friction inthe operation of the perforator. 7

,When read in connection with the description herein, the details of construction and arrangement of parts contemplated by the invention will be apparent from the' accompanying drawing, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

llVhile a preferred form of the invention is disclosed, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as it is obvious that changes may be made without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

Like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawing, of which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the median line of a perforator constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention, the parts being shown in the out-of-service position theyhave when being fed into a well; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts as in service position; Fig. 3 is a side view as seen when looking in a direction substantially at right angles to the line of sight of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail view of the supporting latch; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55, Fig. 3',- and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line -e e, Fig. 3.

As seen in the drawing, the tool herein referred to as a perforator comprises a substantially cylindrical body 11. The body 11 between its ends is formed with an opening or cavity 12 disposed longitudinally and extending from side to side of the body. The body has in opposite walls of the cavity 12 slots or guideways 13 and 14; inclined to the axis of the body 11, and alined at opposite places to provide runways for spindles 15 of wheels 16. The wheels 16 are provided with cutt ng-teeth or perforators 17, and the two wheels are operatively connected by side links 18, whereby the wheels are held in separated relation. Each of the links-18 rests on flanges 19 of a head-block 20, which 1s connected with a stem 21. The stem is slidable in a perforation in the lower end of the body 11, and the stem is provided at its end with a foot 22.

The body 11 at its upper end is connected by a screw-threaded portion 23 with an operatlng tube or 'cable (not shown). By

means of such a connection the perforator,

when in peration, is lowered and raised in a well-pipe 24. Antifriction rollers 25 and 26 are provided to guide the tool in its movement in the pipe. The rollers 26 are disposed at opposite sides of the body 11, as seen best in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and in position to resist the thrust of the wheels 16 during the operation of cutting or perforating. The rollers 25 are provided to cooperate with springs 27 to guide the tool in its descent and ascent in the pipe.

The springs 27 at their ends converge and are connected by'collars 28 slidably mounted on the stem 21, and between their ends they are arranged to be compressed within and to have frictional contact with the well-pipe.

side of the lower collar, the latch retracts during passage through the collar and after completion thereof is extended by the spring 31, in whichv extended position its lower end is capable of contact with the upper side of the collar and of preventing relative movement of the parts in the opposite. direction.

Prior to inserting the tool into a well pipe or casing the stem 21 is drawn through the lower collar 28, the latch'29 being retracted in any suitable manner, as by pressure of the thumb, to permit the passage thereof through the collar. The lowering of the stem 21 results in the. lowering of the block 20 and the wheels 16 thereabove. In descending the wheels 16 are moved by the slots 13 and 14 toward the center of the body 11, so that the teeth 17 are drawn within the body and out of contact with the well pipe. The springs 27 are compressed into the pipe, and together with the body and other parts they are lowered to the desired place in the pipe, the springs during movement yielding to any irregularities that may be in the pipe. Then the body 11 and with it the stem 21 are lifted until the latch 29 passes above the lower collar 28,and the foot 22 by contactingwith the collar prevents the stem from being drawn entirely from the tube-grippiag member. The resistance of this member to movement in the pipe, of course, is sufficient to prevent movement of the collar from the drag of the latch in passing therethrough.

The latch 29 is caused to pass above the collar 28' at about the place where it is desired to commence the perforation of the well-pipe, and before commencement of that operation the wheels 16 are at the lower ends of the slots 13 and 1 1 and approximately at the center of the body 11. Now, when the topl is forced downwardly, the resistance to movement of the springs 27 in frictional contact with the pipe results, through the instrumentality of the latch 29, stem 21, block 20, flanges 19, and links 18, in the spindles 15 being moved toward the other ends of the inclined slots and the wheels 16 thereon moved into engagement with the well-pipe. The continued pressure or movement of the body 11 downwardly causes the teeth of the wheels, by action of the inclined slots, to be forced through the pipe and the wheels to be held in perforating relation to the pipe, and the wheels continue to rotate and perforate as long as the downward movement continues.

WVhen the tool has reached the desired lower limit of perforation, it is drawn upwardly. In ascending, the drag of the springs against the foot 22 causes the stem 21 to return the block 20 to its lowermost position in the cavity 12. The wheels 16 now are free to move with their spindles toward the lower ends of the inclined slots, and on such movement the .wheels are retracted from perforating position. On reaching the place of commencement of the first lines of perforations, the body 11 is turned to bring the wheels 16 opposite to places in the pipe between the first perforations, the collars 28 permitting the stem 21 to rotate freely therein without disturbing the set of the springs 27. The tool now again is forced downwardly, during descent it operates as previously described, and a second set of perforations is formed in the well-pipe in parallel relation to the first set.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pipe-perforator comprising a body having a cavity therein and provided with two pairs of inclined guideways in said cavity, said guideways being arranged in pairs at difierent places in the length of the body and oppositely inclined to the axis of the body, a plurality of rotary perforators each having a spindle extending into said guideways, connecting means maintaining said perforators in separated relation, a member adapted frictionally to engage the interior of a pipe, an elevator having an elongated stem slidably mounted in said body and in said member, and means interposed between said stem and said member to prevent relative movement of said stem and member while in the pipe.

2. A pipe-perforator comprising a body having a cavity therein provided on its side walls with two pairs of guideways at different places in the length of the body and oppositely inclined to the axis of the body, a plurality of rotary 'perforators having spindles extending into said guideways, links connecting said cutters and maintaining them in separated relation, a compressible member adapted to engage the side of a pipe, an elevator slidably mounted in said body and in said member, a latch adapted to be lifted through said member and to en gage the same when forced downwardly therein, and a member mounted on said elevator and having flanges arranged to support said cutters.

3. In a perforating-device, a body, a support in the body normally having position approximately parallel to the axis of the body, a rotary perforator mounted near each end of the support, and means whereby the support is tilted and the perforators thereby moved to opposite sides bf the body and projected therefrom when the body is lowered into a well-pipe.

4. In a perforating apparatus, a body having a cavity provided with pairs of oppositely-inclined guideways, a support loose in the cavity, a rotary perforator mounted near each end of the support and each having a spindle extending into a pair of said guideways, and means cotiperating with the support whereby the spindles are moved in the guideways as the body is lowered in a well-pipel 5. In a perforating apparatus, a body having a cavity provided with pairs of oppositely-inclined guideways, a support loose in the cavity, a rotary perforator mounted near each end of the support and each having a spindle extending into a pair'of said guideways, a shoe .in the body arranged to press against the support as the body is lowered in a well-pipe, and adjusting means for said shoe.

6. In a pipe-perforator, the combinationto the axis of the body, rotary perforators in the cavity having spindles extending into saidguideways and connected together, a raising member in said cavity, a stem con-. nected with said member and slidable in and extending below the lower portion of said body and said stem having on its lower portion ahead and a latch, a lower collar on said stem arranged to be moved past said latch, an upper collar on said stem, and pipecontacting springs connecting said collars.

7. In a pipe-perforator, the combination of a body having a cavity provided with a plurality of oppositely-inclined airs of guideways in its sides located one a ove another, punching means in said cavity guided by said guideways and thereby on movement caused to project and retract with respect to said body, and means whereby said punch-,

ing means are moved in unison.

.8. In a pipe-perforator, the comblnation of a body arranged to be inserted into awell-pipe, punching-wheels in said body'arranged to perforate thewall of said pipe,

a movable support for said wheels, a mem-' ber carried by said body and mounted for movement with respect thereto to engage said support, means carried by said member beyond said body to engage the inside of the pipe and retain said member against movement, and means whereb the movement of the body toward sai restraining means will cause the punching-wheels to be forced against the ipe.

9. In a pipe-per orator, the combination of a body arranged to be inserted into a well-pipe, punching-wheels in said body arranged to perforate the wall of the pipe, a movable support for said wheels, a member carriedby said body and movable with revspect thereto and at one end engageable with said support, a movement restraining device on said member remote from its memberengagiiig end and arranged to contact with the pipe, means in said member arranged to lock said device against movement in one direction, and means whereby said device when locked and said member thereby is moved on movement of said body said punching-wheels are forced against the pipe.

10. In a pipe-perforator, the combinatlon of a body arranged to be inserted into a well-pipe, punching means movabl carried by said body, a member mounted or movement relatively to said body and having an end engageable with said punching means, a. pair of collars slidably mounted on said member remote from said end, leaf-springs connecting said collars and bent to engage frictionally with the pipe, said springs being of less length than the said member whereby said member can project beyond the same when the body is moved into the pipe, and a latch carried by said member beyond one of said collars and engageable therewith to restrain said member against movement in one direction, whereby when the bod is moved with respect to the member w enso restrained the punching means will be forced into operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT C. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

RAYMOND A. Zm, H. C. EUBANK. 

